Accused drunk/distracted driver plows into group of cyclists; 11 injured with two critical

Photo by Magnus Sheen Nihilus; click photo for other shots from the crash scene on his Facebook page.

The most dangerous intersections aren’t always the junction of two streets.

Even here in L.A., where the safety of cyclists has long been little more than an afterthought.

The events of early this morning clearly proved that, as a popular weekly bike ride intersected tragically with a suspected drunk and/or distracted driver, leaving 11 cyclists injured, six of whom reportedly suffered serious injuries. LAPD bike liaison Sgt. David Krumer reports that two of the injured are in critical condition.

“We were by the bike lane, waiting for more people to come down. Out of nowhere, I saw the lights coming fast,” said Mario Cruz, who was hit by the car. “It looked like she was stopping, but she kept going.”

Another rider said he warned others to get out of the way.

“I saw her first, and then I started calling everybody out, ‘Hey everybody, merge right, get out of the bike lanes to the sidewalk,'” said one bicyclist. “She slows down. She sees us, I think, and I could see her engine rev, and she just takes everybody out.”

“We were all just chilling right here … she merges in and takes everybody out,” one rider told RMG News.

Another rider estimated the car was traveling at more than 60 miles per hour. “I saw everybody flying towards me. Luckily I didn’t get hit … one of the guys got dragged by the car,” he said.

According to cyclist Eric Bruins, who lives in the area, drivers frequently pass through that section at over 60 mph, despite a 40 mph speed limit and a wide turn offering limited visibility.

The L.A. Times cited a televised witness as comparing “what happened to a bowling ball knocking down pins.”

Of course, it didn’t take long for the media to shift blame from the driver to the cyclists.

KABC reports that at least some of the riders may have been wearing dark clothing, and were stopped under a non-working streetlight. However, other reports indicate that the riders were using lights, as required, while the witness statement that the driver jumped the curb suggest at least some of the riders were out of the roadway at the time of the collision.

And while it might not be smart, I know of no law forbidding cyclists from wearing dark clothing after dark.

Bizarrely, the KABC report goes a large step beyond rational reporting by saying beer and condoms were found in the area, evidently implying that the riders were engaged in a drunken orgy in the middle of the street.

And the auto-centric L.A. Weekly lumps the Ridazz in with Critical Mass for committing the unforgivable crime of being in the way while having fun on two wheels.

The Ridazz, along with sister bike group Critical Mass, are a controversial L.A. institution: Many car-bound Angelenos complain the cyclists are rowdy and in-the-way, whereas Ridazz generally feel the cars are the real problem.

Yes, that certainly justifies an allegedly drunk, speeding driver plowing into a group of stationary bikes and riders, regardless of where they might have been stopped or what they were wearing.

So much for that other intersection, the one where we often find ourselves waiting in vain for good reporting and common sense to somehow collide.

Though I suppose, that may be asking a little too much from the local media under the circumstances.

Fortunately, word is that the LAPD is focusing on investigating the actual incident to determine what happened and who is at fault, rather than getting distracted by the irrelevant matters that seem to fascinate some members of the press.

Update: The Times reports that 27-year old Christine Dahab has been booked on a charge of misdemeanor drunk driving, with $15,000 bail — which would seem exceptionally low under the apparent circumstances, given the number and seriousness of the injuries.

Update: Patrick Miller clarified that neither the Koreatown ride, or any of the rides organized on the Midnight Ridazz site, are sponsored directly by the loosely organized group. Rather, it’s a site where individuals can post their own rides, not unlike posting your own ride on Facebook or some other site.

And apologies to Alex Amerri, whose name I misspelled in my rush to get this story online.

……..

The LACBC’s Alexis Lantz sent the following email to Sgt. Krumer this morning in response to these events:

Good morning Sgt. Krumer,

I’m assuming you’re probably already pretty busy with the collision that occurred last night with a drunk driver and the K-town group ride.

We are hoping you can keep is in the loop on this issue, we have some issues with the way the news has been reporting the incidents – as with so many stories involving people on bicycles – misinformation and blame is often placed on the victim, even when a drunk driver, distracted driver, and speeding are involved.

In particular we’re concerned about folks focusing in on what people are wearing – this should not be a discussion item, whether or not the cyclist had lights, which are required by law is justified – but questioning the color of people’s clothing really shouldn’t be where folks focus their discussion.

While we don’t know the particulars of where exactly the group was in the roadway we hope that the fact that the driver was speeding, drunk, potentially texting at the time of the collision, and failed to slow, change lanes or do anything to avoid a collision will be taken seriously and be the focus of this investigation and reporting. If a car was stopped in a travel lane due to mechanical problems and the same thing happened – the onus would be on the drunk driver, not the driver with mechanical problems. This collision should not be treated any differently and I have complete faith in you and the officers at LAPD that this collision will be well investigated and the driver will be held accountable.

Please use this opportunity to try and further educate the media and public about the rights and responsibilities of all road users.

On an unrelated subject, Byerts also reminds us that current Congressman, future New York mayoral candidate and all around schmuck Anthony Weiner is resigning his office after revelations that he texted images of the little Weiner to a number of women, none of whom his wife.

If you look at some of the videos of this collision, you’ll see that they were right here. I’m sorry I don’t have the video in question, but watch the videos background and you’ll see sooner or later the sign that says, “Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook”. The car and the pack were going east on Jefferson and they were waiting for everyone to come down from the park. One thing that really ticks me off on the reporting is that they’re assuming the riders were out in the middle of the street. There may have been some out of the shoulder area, but I doubt it was how the media is portraying it. Hell the car even went up on the crib, so it was out of the traveling lane cause there’s room to park on this part of the street.

My thoughts and wishes are for a speedy recovery for all those affected by this. May you also get the much needed justice for this idiot’s actions.

While the K-Town ride is one of many dozens who advertise their ride on Midnight Ridazz and generally people in that community consider fellow cyclists to be “Ridazz” this was not a “Midnight Ridazz ride” official or otherwise, no more than it was a “Facebook” ride, another place where this and other rides routinely organize and promote.

Every group that post a ride on Midnight Ridazz is individually planned and operated.

That said, I know that everybody who considers themselves part of the Midnight Ridazz community is really saddened by this incident and equally angered by how the media immediately starts shifting blame on the cyclists in the face of overwhelming evidence that the driver who hit stationary cyclists on a raised curb was at fault.

K-Town doesn’t advertise on MR. Be my guess and find the advertisement for the ride that happened yesterday. You won’t find it, and no Don didn’t delete it. K-Town was pretty much ostracized from MR cause alot of them were fixie riders and for some reason MR doesn’t think to highly of fixie riders. Especially young ones that do a half fast job on their conversion. That and an attraction to Facebook drove them to FB. But that’s just one of the minor things I see that the media got wrong.

Oh yeah, you do see an outpouring of condemnation towards the driver, but that doesn’t make them family.

About the condoms in the area bullshit, here’s what ABC 7 reported Elex Michaelson had to say:

The quote was “a direct statement from a veteran LAPD officer who asked we not use his name on camera. I begged them to go on camera multiple times but they chose to talk only off camera at the scene yesterday morning.”

So blame both sides for not quite thinking it through, cop and reporter. According to Roadblock “while we were there, at least 4 cars pulled up with couples…. They walked up the hill and disappeared. Some were carrying blankets and sacks.”

I was not part of the ride that night, but I have been on two of these large organized rides and I can tell everyone that safety is a major concern among them. On my first ride, I did not have lights on my bike and someone let me borrow some. Another person asked me if I knew how to repair a flat if ever I got one and then proceeded to show me how. Not everyone has the same reasons for riding…some are trying to help the planet and decrease pollution, others are trying to save money on gas, some for health reasons and others because they have suspended licenses and they are following the law by not driving. Bike riding is fun and healthy. It is ridiculous and offensive that the ridazz be villianized.

One of the riders is a 16 year old baby girl who is in critical condition. As her family and friends hold vigil by her bedside at UCLA ICU…………… This is a horrible tradgedy for her and her loved ones. This young girls life will never be the same……………….. drinking, driving and texting………. how was your day Christine? I can tell you this little girl’s life will never be the same. Hope you have a great day and hope you sleep well at night!

[…] noted yesterday, Dahab was sentence today at the Airport Courthouse for her role in the Culver City 13 collision, in which 13 riders were injured, some critically; initial reports said 11 riders had been […]

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